Oil cooler



Dec. 17, 1929. H. F. SCHMIDT oIL cooLEx Original Filed Deo. 27, 1924 Patented Dec. 17, i929 Midifile@ serena certes HENRY F. SCHMIDT, F LANSDOWNE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGEOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPRATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA OIL COOLER Original application filed-December 27, 1924, Serial No. 758,422. Divided and this-application filed July This application is a division of my application Serial No. 758,422, filed December 27, 1924, and assigned to l/Jestinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.

My invention relates to circulating forced feed lubricating systems for prime movers, more particularly to cooling` means for the lubricant employed in said systems, and has for an object the provision of apparatus of the character designated which shall be of simple and compact design, easy of manufacture, and which shall be effective to cool the lubricant employed in the system. Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a turbo-generator having my improved apparatus applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of my invention.

ln accordance with my invention I provide a Huid reservoir, from Which the lubricant is supplied, and disposed Within the reservoir is a cooling coil. A pump for developing a fluid pressure employed in the lubricating system is submerged Within the fluid reservoir and is arranged to discharge a part of the fluid under pressure developed thereby into the reservoir in such a manner as to induce a whirling circulation of fluid therein against the cooling coil. rlhe cooling coil may also be arranged in such a manner as to take advantage of the Well-known counterflovv pri .ciple in heat exchange apparatus.

Referringr noW to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Fig. 1 at l() a housing which encloses a turbogenerator. The housing 10 is mounted upon hollowv base 11, which forms a. fluid reservoir, and is suitably secured thereto, Steam or other' motive fluid is admitted to the housing 10 through an opening 14 and after being employed for useful work in the turbine is exhausted through a second opening 16. At 17 is shown a fluid pressure operated governor for controlling the speed of the turbo-generator.

rllhe turbine employed to drive the electric Serial No. 45,851.

generator embodies a rotor 21 secured to a shaft 22 upon which is also mounted an electric generator 23. Motive fluid admitted to the turbine at 14 passes a ball admission valve 32 into a nozzle 33 Where it is expanded and directed against a series of blades 36-36 of the rotor 21, driving the turbine. The admission valve 32 is controlled by the fluid pressure operated governor 17 in a manner which Will novv be described. The fluid pressure operated governor 17 comprises a cylinder 37 having an operating piston 33 subjected on its lower side to the pressure developed by the pump 27 through a passage 39. Movements of the piston 38 are transmitted t-o the admission valve 32 through a rod 41 and a stem 42. VThe rod 41 is held in abutting relation to the piston 38 by means of a spring 43 disposed between an adjustable abutment 44 on the rod 41 and a fixed abutment 46 supported by the housing. The admission valve 32 is moved in an opening direction by fluid pressure entering the turbine and by the spring 43 and is moved in a closing direction by the force of the governing fluid pressure acting against the under side of the piston 38 against the force of the spring 43 and the incoming motive fluid.

The shaft 22 is provided with a ball bearin g 24, suitably supported near the upper end of the shaft from the housing 10, and is provided With a sleeve guide bearing 26 near its lower end. Mounted Within the fluid reservoir 11 is a centrifugal pump 27 having an impeller 28. The impeller 28 is provided With a recessed portion 29 into which fits a projection 31 formed on the end of the shaft 22. rlhe projection 31 freely slides into the recessed portion 29 but cannot turn therein. In disassembling the apparatus, the turbine and generator may be removed from the fluid reservoir and the projection 31 of the shaft 22 slides freely out of the pump 27.

The bearings 24 and 26 are lubricated by fluid under pressure developed by the pump 27, the lower sleeve bearing 26 being lubricated directly by the relatively high pressure fluid delivered by the pump 27 through a passage 48 leading from the passage 39. For

lubricating the upper ball bearing 24, I provide means for reducing the fluid pressure delivered by the pump 27 before its passage to the bearing. For this purpose the piston 38 is made relatively long and is provided with a restricted body portion 51 which, in cooperation with the walls of the cylinder 37, provides a restricted passage serving to reduce the pressure of thel fiuid flowing therethrough in proportion to its length. The lower end of the piston 38 is provided with ports 52 permitting a free passage of the fluid ata relatively high pressure to the restricted passage surrounding the portion 5l. After being reduced in pressure the fluid passes through a port 53, indicated by dotted lines, in the cylinder 37, thence through a passage 54, also indicated in the dotted lines, to the bearing 24. After lubricating the bearing 24, thefiuid drains back tothe reservoir 11 through a passage 56, shown in dotted lines.

In order to provide a cooling means for the fluid in the oil re-servoir, I provide a nozzle 57, in the volute of the pump 27, designed to discharge a part of the fluid underV pressure developed by rotation ofthe impeller 28, tangentially from the pump into the reser- `voir l1, thus inducing a whirling circulation of the fluid in the reservoir. The reservoir is provided with a coil 65 through which water may be circulated for cooling the fiuid therein; Water for this purpose may be introduced from any convenient source through an opening 66 and pass out of thecoil at67.

In Fig. 2 I show a modified form of my invention. In accordance with this modification the centrifugal pump 27 lis provided at one side with a delivery nozzle 72 extend- Y ing nearly to the walls of the reservoir 1l and discharging tangentially to the pump 27. Oil which has been employed for lubricating Vor other purposes is returned to the reservoir l1 through a conduit 73, said conduit also being arranged to discharge fluid tangentially to the pump 27, insuring a circulation of they warmer lubricant `around the outer region of the reservoir ll. In order to further aid in insuring thedirection of flow, I may provide a'baffle 74 attached to the wall of the reservoir il so that the fluid discharged fromA the conduit 73 isgiven the desired direction of flow. The direction taken by the circulating fluid around the reservoir isindicated by theV arrows. Surrounding the casing of the pump 27 is a perforated screen 75 which further aids in maintaining a circulation of the oil in the reservoir. Water for cooling the oil is introduced through a conduit 76 into a coil 77 and is discharged, after cooling the oil, through a conduit 78. The coil 77 is so arranged that the water first introduced is present in the inner turns of the coil and Vis discharged from the outer turns of the coil. In this manner the warmer circulating oil comes in contact with the coil which has been raised in temperature by the lubricant in the inner region of the reservoir giving a part of its heat thereto, and later coming into contact with the cooler part of the coil.

The operation of apparatus made in accordance with my invention will be apparent. 'Ihe fluid reservoir 1l is filled with some form of lubricating fiuid, is closed and the turbine is started. rIhe pump 27 develops fiuid under pressure varying with the speed of the turbine. Fluid under a relatively high pressure is deliveredthrough the conduit 39 to the under side of the piston 38,'and through the branch conduit 48 to the lower sleeve bearing 26. The fiuid passing between the restricted portion 51 of the piston 38 and the wall of the cylinder 37 has its pressure reduced and passes through the port 53 and passage 54 to the upper bearing 24 fromwhence it drains back to the reservoir 11 through the passage 56. The nozzle 57 in the volute of the pump 27 discharges fiuid tangentially -'to the pump against the cooling coil 67 and insures a continuous circulation of fluid in the reservoir l1 around the cooling coil 67, preventing its overheating.

From the foregoing itV will be 'app-arent that Il have provided an improved cooling apparatus for fluid pressure Ycirculating lubricating systems, wherein a part of the fluid pressure developed for lubricating purposes is employed as motive fluid to induce .a whirling circulation of fluid around the cooling means.

Wyliile I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon asare imposed by the prior art or as are specifically setv forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. lIn a circulating fiuid pressure lubricating system, the combination of a duid reservoir, a pump for supplying fiuid pressure to the system, a cooling surface provided in the reservoir, and means embodied in the pump for eecting a whirling circulation of the fluid in the reservoir against the cooling surface. Y

2. In a circulating fluid pressure lubricating system, the combination of a fluid reservoir, a centrifugal pump submerged within the reservoir, a cooling surface provided in the reservoir, and means embodied in the pump for effecting a whirling circulation of the fluid in the reservoir against the cooling surface.

3. In a circulating fluid pressure lubricating system, thecombination ofra fluid reservoir, a centrifugal pump submerged within the reservoir, a coolingsurface provided in the reservoir, and means employing a part 0f the fluid under pressure developed by the pump as motive fluid for effecting a whirling circulation of fluid in the reservoir against the cooling surface.

1l. In a circulating fluid pressure lubricating system, the combination of a fluid reservoir, a centrifugal pump submerged within the reservoir, a cooling surface provided in the reservoir, a nozzle in the volute of the pump arranged to discharge a part of the fluid under pressure developed by the pump tangentially.intoV the reservoir, thereby providing a whirling circulation of the fluid in the reservoir and over the cooling surface.

5. In a circulating fluid pressure lubricating system, the combination of a fluid reservoir, a centrifugal pump submerged within the reservoir, a pipe conveying a cooling medium into the reservoir and arranged in inner and outer coils, a nozzle in the volute of the pump arranged to discharge a part of the fluid under pressure developed by the pump tangentially into the fluid reservoir around the part of the coil through which the cooling medium last flows in its passage through the reservoir.

6. The combination with a machine having fluid receiving means, of a fluid reservoir, a centrifugal pump driven by the turbine shaft and immersed within the fluid reservoir for developing` fluid under pressure for said means, a cooling surface associated with t-he reservoir, and a nozzle in the volute of the centrifugal pump arranged to discharge a part of the fluid under pressure developed by the pump tangentially into the fluid reservoir, thereby providing a circulation of fluid in the reservoir and over the cooling surface.

7. In combination, a turbine having a lubricating system associated therewith, a centrifugal pump driven by the turbine for developing pressure of the lubricant for the lubricating system, a reservoir for the lubricant, means for discharging a part of the lubricant under pressure developed by t-he pump into the reservoir tangentially to said pump and near the outer walls of the reservoir, a coiled pipe for circulating a cooling medium through said reservoir, said coil being so arranged that the cooling medium first introduced passes through the coils nearest the pump.

8. In combination, a turbirzie having a lubricating system associated therewith, a reservoir for the lubricant, a centrifugal pump located within the reservoir for developing pressure of the lubricant for the lubricating system, a discharge nozzle for the pump are ranged to discharge a portion of the lubricant under pressure tangentially to the pump and near the outer region of the reservoir, a conduit for returning the lubricant employed in the lubricating system to the reservoir, means for imparting to the returning lubricant a circulating flow around the outer region of said reservoir, a conduit for circulating a cooling medium through said reservoir, said conduit being so arranged that the lubricant returned from the lubricating system and the lubricant discharged from the pump nozzle is first cooled by the cooling medium which has been raised in temperature by fluid in the inner region of the reservoir.

9. In combination, a turbine having a lubricating system associated therewith, a

nreservoir for the lubricant,VV a centrifual pump located within the reservoir for developing pressure of the lubricant for the lubricating system, a discharge nozzle for the pump arranged to discharge a portion of the lubricant under pressure tangentially to the pump and near the outer region of the reservoir, a conduit for returning the lubricant employed in the lubricating system to the reservoir, means for imparting to the returning lubricant a circulating flow around the outer region of said reservoir, a perforated screen su 1rounding the pump, a conduit for circulating a cooling medium through said reservoir, said conduit being so arranged that the lubricant returned from the lubricating system and lubricant discharged from the pump nozzle is first cooled by the cooling medium which has been raised in temperature by fluid in the inner region of the reservoir.

l0. In a fluid translating system, a fluid reservoir, a pump including an impeller and a casing immersed in the fluid, said casing having a tangentially disposed opening through which fluid is forced by the impeller to effect a whirling circulation of fluid in the reservoir, and means for cooling the fluid.

l1. In a liquid circulation system, a liquid reservoir, a pump including an impeller and a casing immersed in the liquid and maintaining a circulation of liquid through the system, said casing having a tangential outlet in its outer periphery through which the impeller forces a jet of liquid to effect a whirling circulation of liquid in the reservoir, and means for cooling the liquid.

l2. In a circulating fluid pressure libricating system, the combination of a fluid reservoir, a pump for supplying fluid pressure to the system, a cooling surface provided in the reservoir, a nozzle receiving fluid pressure developed by said pump and arranged to discharge the same tangetially into the reservoir, thereby providing a whirling circulation of the fluid in the reservoir and over the cooling surface.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this fourteenth day of July,

HENRY F. SCHMIDT- 

